Is Gautam Gambhir Really the Only One to Blame for India’s Test Defeat?

But pointing fingers at Gambhir alone is to miss the bigger picture. Cricket is a team sport, and this defeat is a collective failure. Gambhir himself admitted in the press conference that he is accountable, but accountability does not mean he is the only one at fault.

Former India women’s player and coach Purnima Rau reminded everyone of the fundamentals: "A coach can only oversee activities, strategize and mentor the team. It is the particular individual player who has to go out there and play to the best of his/her ability. Unfair to target any coach or support staff for the non-performance.”

- The batters failed with poor shot selection and lack of discipline.

- The bowlers too struggled, unable to deliver consistent performances.

- Gambhir’s team selection choices can be questioned, but they are only one part of the larger problem.

Rau further emphasized the complexity of the sport: “So many permutations and combinations in this wonderful game.” She added that the blame game oversimplifies the reality: “It can be the selection issues, can be the influence of the T20s, attitude and responsibility of everyone involved with this team. After all, it is a team game. Just blaming one person is foolishness.”

Former India spinner and umpire Maninder Singh also urged patience: “We are in a transition period after the retirement of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R. Ashwin. We need to give our boys a little bit of time. You can’t criticise Gautam Gambhir, though I also felt that at some stage the specialists were not playing but then this is the team given to him by the selectors. It is not fair to criticise him alone because it is a game where boys have to deliver at the ground and whatever opportunity is given to the players, they should grab it. Selectors will have to think of this and the future of Indian cricket. Please give some time to the boys and not criticise Gautam Gambhir.”

- Abhishek Nayar & T. Dilip (2025): After India’s poor Test series in Australia (losing 1-3), the BCCI removed batting coach Abhishek Nayar and fielding coach T. Dilip from Gambhir’s staff. Strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai was also replaced. This was a direct reaction to repeated overseas failures.

- Earlier defeats against New Zealand and Australia triggered a review of the entire coaching setup, with assistants blamed for lack of preparation and discipline.

While head coaches like Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble left under different circumstances (Shastri after a planned tenure, Kumble after differences with players), assistant coaches and support staff have often been removed mid-cycle when the team underperformed. The BCCI has historically used such changes to signal accountability and fresh direction.

Yet, the head coach remains under the spotlight. Gambhir now faces the same storm that others before him have endured.

Gambhir’s challenge is to break this cycle. Instead of being another name in the list of coaches removed after failures, he must lead introspection and course correction. With Shubman Gill’s return, Gambhir has a chance to rebuild and prove that leadership is about resilience, not just results.

The real need of the hour is introspection. Players, coaches, and management must accept that there is a serious problem. Only then can solutions be found. Blaming one person will not magically fix things.

As head coach, Gambhir must guide the team through this tough phase and inspire change. Once Shubman Gill returns, Gambhir and Gill together will need to steer India forward. Gambhir is accountable, but not alone. India’s Test defeat is a shared failure, and only collective acceptance and effort can bring the team back on track.

That is what sport demands: resilience in adversity, unity in failure, and courage to rebuild.